Bolivia 2000:
The thermometer shows minus 18 degree when we leave
camp I in darkness. But I think the temperature is about minus 25 degree. My
feet are very cold in my koflach boots and I am thinking about my friends in
their cold leather boots. But nobody thinks of return, because we are already
at 5.700 meters on Mount Huayna Potosi. The summit is close. We can see the
lights of La Paz and everybody of our group can reach the top, if the sun
comes and warms us up.

Lago
Titicaca: Before we start mountaineering, we go on a nice trip in a small boat
on Lake Titicaca. We visit the impressive Islands Kalahuta, Suriki, Isla de la
Luna and Isla del Sol. We spend two nights on the islands which is good for
our acclimatication, because the altitude of the lake is 3.800 meters.

Condoriri
group: After 120 km on the lake we are glad to come back to La Paz to recover.
Then we start to basecamp in the Condoriri group. It´s a very beautiful but
very cold place, surrounded by many peaks higher then 5.000 m. Some of these
are just stoney hills, others are very impressive mountains with huge
glaciers. The weather is very good here in July 2000, but cold. Minus 12
degree in the morning is normal. First we climb Cerro Austria, also called
Cerro Negro, 5.328 m. Some of our group have troubles with their stomach,
nobody with the altitude.

Apart from
Cerro Condoriri, Alpamayo Chico is the most beautiful mountain. The conditions
on the last steep slopes are very good and we enjoy the view of the summit.
What a beautiful mountain!

We cannot
climb the difficult Cerro Condoriri because of stormy conditions. So we have a
day of rest. After this our last mountain here is Nevado Illusion, 5.370 m. We
reach the summit after crossing very big crevasses and a small rock climb
directly to the highest point.

Huyana
Potosi: In our bus we reach the Zongo Pass at 4.710 m. Here is our basecamp.
After the breakfast next morning, we slowly start to climb to the highcamp.
Our rucksacks are very heavy and some of us need a little help before reaching
the 5.400 m camp. The view of the lights down in La Paz is fantastic, but the
night is very cold.

We climb
up a very steep slope to reach a high plateau. At last the sun is coming out.
The final ridge is very small but great. The last 200 meters to the summit is
an incredible walk at over 6.000 meters between light and shadow, life and
death. We sit on the summit at 6.088 meters above sea-level, all of us, 14 men
and one woman. In the evening we enjoy dinner at the hotel in La Paz.

Parinacota:
The climb of the volcano Parinacota, 6.342 m, is not very difficult, but long.
Ugly penitentes snow starts at an altitude of 5.700 m. The slope is very long
and exhausting. Finally nine of us reach the summit. The view of the Altiplano
and the neighbouring mountain Sajama, 6.542 m, the highest mountain in
Bolivia, is marvellous.